Directors: R.J. Cutler, David Furnish
Country: USA
UK Distributor: Disney+
There is absolutely no doubt that Elton John is one of the greatest pop icons of the twentieth century. His vast back catalogue is peppered with hit after hit, laced through popular culture from The Lion King to Princess Diana. But the man himself has always been eminently... less interesting. He may have come out at a time when that was still very much taboo, but there’s always been something very middle-of-the-road about his persona and music. Which is why Rocketman – the 2019 musical biopic about his life starring Taron Egerton – came as a bolt from the blue, in the shape of a surprisingly exquisite masterpiece that was about four times as good as the previous year’s Bohemian Rhapsody. And now we get the documentary version of his story.
From his meteoric rise to fame, we are taken through the five decades of his career, using unreleased concert footage and audio taken from interviews for his biography. Having decided to retire, his final US performance would be in the same venue as his first, so we watch as he makes preparations for this swan song spectacular with his collaborators, husband and young children.
What made Rocketman so remarkable was that Elton’s born showmanship had turned his story into a besequinned musical that had the production value to match. This served to dress up an otherwise generic story of a rockstar’s rise to fame, only to be manipulated by his covetous entourage. Now we get the story in its more pedestrian form, not dressed up with bells and whistles and told directly by Elton itself. And sure, there’s plenty of sex, drugs and rock & roll, but this rather introspective take on his life feels somewhat... bland. The story continues longer than it did in Rocketman, with a good chunk exploring his friendship with John Lennon and the final act depicting his more recent family life. But this documentary severely likes the sparkle of his biopic.
If you’re a fan of Elton John, then this is definitely a festive treat to give a peak behind the curtain and hear his life story in his own words (it is co-directed by his husband, after all). But for those more casually acquainted with the septuagenarian’s work, this is a music-doc that doesn’t work very hard to convert new fans. Even if it does include his recent collaborations with Britney and Dua Lipa.
UK Release: Out now to stream on Disney+
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